Olympic sprint and keirin silver medallist Matthew Richardson, who’s found himself in a whirlwind of controversy following his decision to announce that he’ll be switching from the Australian Cycling team to Team Great Britain following the Paris Olympics, could now be facing a “two-year non-competition period”, with the Australian governing body for cycling implying that he would’ve been left out of the national squad had they known about his defection plans.
Meanwhile, Australian pro cyclist Chloe Hosking has defended his decision and said that AusCycling should take this as a learning opportunity and review how it funds and supports athletes, while his childhood cycling club member said Richardson was in a “very precarious situation financially” in Australia.
The shock announcement was made on Monday by Richardson, who was born in Maidstone, Kent, but moved with his family to Western Australia when he was nine, maintaining dual citizenship and going on to become one of the best track sprinters in the world.
While AusCycling initially said that it was “disappointed and surprised” at Richardson’s move, it looks like it’s now working with the UCI, the world governing body for cycling, to ensure that Richardson is unable to compete in international events for the next two years.
According to UCI rules, cyclists who switch allegiance are not eligible to represent their new national team at the following edition of world and continental championships, however, an AusCycling spokesperson has said today that they are “confident the UCI will enforce the two-year non-competition period rule”.
Rule 41 of the Olympic Charter also stipulates that an athlete must wait three years after changing national allegiance before representing their new country at an Olympics, which might explain Richardson’s decision to switch so soon after Paris.
Yesterday, AusCycling executive general manager of performance Jesse Korf told Australian media that it was looking into the duration of the non-competition period with the UCI.
“There’s disappointment around the decision and the process and not knowing around Matt’s circumstances,” Korf said. “He will not compete at the upcoming world championships. But the non-competition duration and clauses, that is being interrogated and looked into at the moment together with the UCI and ASC (Australian Sports Commission).”
He clarified that the ASC, which is Australia’s primary sports funding agency, has no power to enforce the non-competition period and that the decision is in the UCI’s hands. However, both the UCI and British Cycling have not responded to a request for comment from Reuters.
> Australian Cycling “disappointed and surprised” at Matt Richardson’s switch to Team GB
Meanwhile, the Australian reports that AusCycling feels they have been “blindsided” by Richardson’s shock move, with Australia not consulted by the UCI for permission to release the cyclist, who has been a member of the track cycling program, including the residential program in South Australia, for six years.
An AusCycling official said: “Had we known of his intentions, the shape of the Olympic team may have looked different.”
Richardson was a key member of the Australian track cycling squad at the Paris Olympics, bringing home two silver medals in the men’s individual sprint and keirin competitions, while also playing a pivotal role in guiding the nation to a bronze medal in the team sprint.
Matt Richardson at 2024 Paris Olympics (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
When making the announcement, Richardson said in a statement that the decision was about “following my passion and pushing myself to new heights”. He said: “This isn’t about leaving something behind, but about embracing a new chapter in my journey and chasing a dream, a dream that is to race for the county which I was born in.”
And while Richardson has come under major scrutiny for his decision, former Australian Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Olympian Chloe Hosking as well as Richardson’s former club member have defended the decision, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.
“I think that probably a huge factor in his decision-making was the support that will be offered,” Hosking said. “I think it’s no surprise to anybody – we know that the British track program is one of the best in the world.
“He’s obviously had conversations, done the research, and made the decision that’s where he’s going to be in the best position – whether that’s from a support staff, equipment, financially, and also the environment… This would not have been a decision taken lightly, so I understand it.”
Chris Van der Veen, a committee member at Midland Cycling club in Perth where Richardson joined as a child, described him as the best sprint cyclist Australia has produced, and added that while he was sad to lose one of the club’s most noted alumni, he understood his decision.
He said: “This is the difficulty with the sprinters,” Van der Veen said “They don’t have that ability to switch to the road like an endurance track rider.
“That’s why they have to go to Japan to race keirin, they’ve got to go to the US to race, and they’ve got to go and try and race in the European Championships, because there’s nothing here for them in Australia. They have to go to Europe somehow, and they have to try and find some money.
“So it’s very difficult. Matt’s in a very precarious situation financially here in Australia. I mean, as much as it’s hard to say goodbye to Matt, from that perspective, from being an ex-track rider myself, I get it.”
“In Australia, unfortunately, we’re unable to fund our bike riders, especially from a velodrome perspective,” Van der Veen said. “The guys who are racing track, there’s no financial incentive for them. Here in Australia, there’s no way they can monetise their ability, whereas in Europe, there’s a lot more ability to do that.
“And GB are putting money up, which Australia can’t, so you can understand that he’s got to make his way. He’s got to be a breadwinner at some point, doesn’t he?”
